An Introduction to the History of Printing Press

The advent of the printing press has given a lot to the society without any doubt. It made it easier to spread the knowledge throughout the world.
First, the block or woodblock printing came in the limelight. It was first applied on the clothing. This is the reason why we find some beautiful designs on the pre-medieval and medieval costumes.  Later on, it was applied on the paper. “Diamond Sutra”, a Buddhist scripture, was the first published book of the world. It was published in China in 868 CE through woodblock printing.
But, there are several limitations of woodblock printing. The moveable type printing press solved the entire problem and the mass publishing became much easier. The moveable type press was first invented in China by Bi Sheng between 1041 and 1048. In the western world, it was discovered by Johannes Gutenberg in 1439 CE. He first published Bible and soon this moveable-type became popular in various parts of the Europe. It played a major role in the spread of renaissance ideas.

Trend of Medieval Dresses Still Enticing the People

If you are willing to watch the glimpses of the medieval lifestyles, then the stage plays written after the Middle Ages are best A number of fashion trends are prevalent in the present scenario, but there is no doubt that you get the special luster if you wear the ethnic wardrobes. The trend of medieval dresses is very much in the limelight in the recent times.

As the name itself depicts, these are the outfits, which belong the medieval era that took place from 5th to 15th centuries. In such a long time span, a number of trends came in the limelight, which are liked a lot by the men and women of today. The costumes of the early medieval era seem to be simple, whereas we see the showiness in the outfits of the late medieval period.

Such outfits are perfect to wear in a number of parties and other events. But, they are most popular in the themed events that take place in various parts of Europe and America. The medieval festival of Europe and the renaissance festival of America are two best examples in this regard.

Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas – A Complete Pirate Entertainment

The pirate themed movies and animation films are becoming the favorites of a large number of people today. These films are the perfect fun package for the people, plus they give us the glimpse of the old swashbuckling life. These movies also provide the stuff to the fashion world, such as pirate shirts, pants, skirts and a lot more.
Sinbad! Legend of the Seven Seas – it is one of the popular animation films. The film depicts Sinbad (famous character of Arabian Nights) as a pirate, but his purpose is not to loot the treasure. On the contrary, he wants to do something good, for which he is intended to loot the mystical and magical book of peace, along with his crew. He wishes to do it because he wants to save his childhood friend Prince Proteus. Proteus’s fiancée Marina also helps Sinbad in his expedition. After succeeding, Marina falls in love with Sinbad, which Proteus realizes and releases her from their engagement. Finally, Marina also joins Sinbad’s ship.
The story is full of adventures, and we can also find the touch of romance in it. The film renders complete entertainment package without any second thought.

Renaissance Dances and Queen Elizabeth I

The dance and music were undoubtedly among the major aspects of the renaissance age, which are popular in the recent times. Today also, you can see a number of men and women in ren-fests wearing renaissance dresses and performing the dances, which flourished around 500-600 years ago.
We can take the examples of two dance forms that developed in the renaissance age. One of them was Volta, which gained a huge fame when Queen Elizabeth I of England performed it with her friend Robert Dudley. This dance has been depicted in some movies as well. First, it was shown in the popular film named Elizabeth between Queen Elizabeth I and Robert Dudley. Then, it could be witnessed in its sequel film Elizabeth: The Golden Age between Elizabeth “Bess” Throckmorton and Sir Walter Raleigh.
Another dance of the renaissance age, which is also widely admired by the people today, is Galliard. According to the records, it was performed by Queen Elizabeth I as an exercise in her mid fifties.

Some Ideas for Perfect Renaissance Fair Clothing

The season of festivals remains the center of special attraction for a large number of people. A number of men and women start doing the arrangement in advance with great enthusiasm about what to wear in the fest. The renaissance festivals take place in various parts of the western world, and a lot of enthusiasm among the people can be seen in these fests as well.
The arrangement of renaissance fair clothing began weeks ago from the festivals. There are some special costumes, which are worn in these festivals. These costumes belong to distinct eras and communities. Some of the renaissance fair clothing that are popular in these fests include:
Renaissance-style clothing: The renaissance festivals are especially meant for providing the glimpse of the renaissance age – the golden era of Europe. So, the renaissance-style clothing remains the special allure in these fests. In the renaissance era, people started adding some special effects of the medieval costumes. So, the renaissance-style clothing incarnated, which comprised of a lot of showiness. Puffs and many other designs were added to the costumes.
Queen Elizabeth I’s outfits: In a large number of the fests, the scenario is set in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. A plenty of women like to wear the costumes in the styles of queen. Wonderful gowns and dresses in her styles provide an entirely distinct style to the men and women. Such extravagant costumes remain the first choice of a large number of ladies and can be worn as the wedding gowns also.
Medieval-style clothing: The renaissance age started just after the medieval era. In the renaissance festivals also, a number of entertainment activities belong to the medieval era. So, a large number of individuals like to wear the medieval costumes in these festivals. The medieval era was divided into the diverse sections according to the social statuses of the people. So, you can find the medieval-style clothing in distinct patterns. The clothing of the medieval royals, nobles, commoners, farmers and peasant remain the special allures in these fests.
Pirate-style costumes: The pirates were the sea robbers, who would plunder the ships of the sea merchants. Some of the pirates also used to loot the coastal areas. These sea rovers were active in the medieval and renaissance eras, and their clothing styles are popular in the renaissance festivals. The outfits of distinct groups of swashbucklers are worn by the people. In the medieval era, there was the panic of the swashbucklers known as Vikings in various nations. In the renaissance age, there were the freebooters like buccaneers and Caribbean pirates in the renaissance age, the dresses of both of which are widely popular nowadays in the fests. Moreover, privateers who were the authorized raiders of governments and were assigned the task of looting the treasure ships of the enemy nations, also provide the stuff to the fashion world of today. The dresses of a number of such groups can be witnessed being worn by the men and women in the renaissance festivals. Moreover, the outfits of the fictional pirates of the movies are also worn by a large number of individuals. Although, these outfits remain popular throughout the festival; but some special pirate weekends are celebrated in some of the fests, in which they can be especially seen.
Steampunk costumes: Steampunk belongs to the Victorian era science fiction novels and films in which the futuristic technologies have been fictionalized, and all the technologies are run through the steam power. The costumes belonging to this trend are known as steampunk costumes. Some of the renaissance festivals celebrate the steampunk weekends where these costumes are widely popular.
Gothic costumes: The gothic trend belongs to the 18th and 19th century horror fiction. This trend symbolizes the dark traits of humanity. The outfits of Gothicism seem identical to the pirate-style dresses. Moreover, they are closely associated with steampunk outfits. So, a number of people wearing the gothic clothing can also be witnessed in the renaissance festivals.

Julius Caesar: Shakespeare’s Play That Made the Roman General Famous for Ages

The renaissance age was the period, when the revival could be witnessed in a number of aspects of society. The renaissance costumes, paintings, sculptures, literature and a lot of other aspects have gained widespread popularity in the recent times.

Like many other facets, the literature of the renaissance age also has a great significance in the present scenario. William Shakespeare is one of the great names of the renaissance-age authors in this regard. He played a major role in enriching the renaissance literature. The plays written by him are acted as well as read by a large number of individuals even in the recent times.

William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar
Shakespeare wrote on a number of themes like humor, tragedy, history and more. His play “Julius Caesar”, has gained huge popularity these days. This is a drama on the historical theme and is based on the story of the famous Roman General of ancient time – Julius Caesar. The play tells about the conspiracy against Caesar and finally the end of the conspirators.

Summary of the Play
Caesar’s friend Cassius makes a conspiracy against Caesar. He also convinces the other friend of Caesar named Brutus to help him in his assassination. He tells Brutus that Caesar wants to change the Roman Republic to monarchy. He also writes letters to Brutus in different handwriting in order to convince him. Finally, Brutus agrees to take part in the conspiracy.

Caesar is killed by his friends, which comes in the Act 3 of the play. He is killed by the conspirators in the senate. The conspirators try to convince the public that they have accomplished this act for the sake of Rome. But, Caesar’s other friend Mark Antony starts his speech after getting the trust of the conspirators as well as public. He succeeds in turning the public opinion in Caesar’s favor and finally the conspirators had to run away from Rome. One of the companions of Brutus and Cassius, Lucius Cinna is murdered by the mob.
In the last act Cassius and Brutus prepare for war against Mark Antony and the adopted son of Caesar – Octavius. Finally, Brutus and Cassius were killed in the battle. In the end, Antony gives tribute to Brutus because he was the only person who did everything for the good of Rome.
Popular Scenes

There are some scenes in this drama, which are famous among the masses. The sorrowful scene of assassination of Caesar is one of the most famous among the audience. Besides, the speech of Mark Antony is the other one, in which he dramatically changes the opinion of the public.

Play Gave Fame to Julius Caesar
The play has gained a huge fame all over the world, and it will not be wrong to say that it has played a prominent role in giving the popularity to Roman General Julius Caesar.

Era of Tudors - Golden Era with Both Negative and Positive Sides

The era of Tudors – there is no doubt that it is accepted as one of the golden ages of England. The Tudor dynasty ruled the nation for the long duration of 118 years.

When we pay heed towards the era of Tudors, we find the mixed traits, which were both positive and negative. The most positive thing during that era was the beginning of the renaissance age in England. It was the era when a great flourish in the cultural activities was witnessed not only in England, but in the entire Europe. Science and arts flourished, which paved the way for the modern era. The prominent thing that put the influence on the modern times is the renaissance clothing. This was the new age clothing, in which a lot of flamboyance was added.

In addition, some new style dances and music styles also came in the limelight as a result of the artistic development. Volta and galliard were two famous renaissance dances. Samples of the Volta dances have been given in the two such films – “Elizabeth” and “Elizabeth: The Golden Age”.

In addition, paintings and architectures were also flourished up to some extent, and the role of Tudor monarchs can also not be denied in this regard. King Henry VIII’s interest in architecture is well-known. His daughter, Queen Elizabeth I had her own collection of paintings.

But, there is no doubt that the era of Tudors had some negative sides also. The most negative side was witnessed at the time of Queen Mary I. Queen Mary was a devout catholic and was desperate about reestablishing the catholic faith in England. She not only showed the strictness, but also burnt the innocent Protestants in stakes. It made the queen highly unpopular and gave a bad name to the Tudor dynasty. Mary was dubbed as “Bloody Mary” for this act.

With the end of the era of Queen Mary, the dark era of Tudor dynasty ended and Queen Elizabeth gave the equal respect to both the faiths during her reign. Moreover, she encouraged the art and culture and was also a great fond of fashion. The flamboyant renaissance costumes worn by her were widely popular. Her dresses were beaded by the ornaments. The dresses of the Queen Elizabeth are popular today also and are worn by the brides as the wedding gowns. These costumes are also put on by a lot of people in the themed events.

The era of Tudors will definitely be popular up to the coming scenario.

Anne Boleyn - Tudor Queen Who Ruled the Hearts of Modern People

English history is full of mysteries, and there are a number of facts, which are still the subject of research. Anne Boleyn, the queen consort of King Henry VIII of England, is one of the famous names that we can take as an example in this regard. She was the second wife of the king and was recognized as a key figure of English Reformation after her marriage and subsequent execution. The era of English Reformation was the time, when England progressed in various fields, such as art, culture, medieval costumes and more.

But, the word ‘reformation’ refers to the religious reformation against the dogmatism of Roman Catholic Church during that period. First, the king broke with Church of Rome in order to marry her and declared himself the head of Church of England. In this way, Anne indirectly contributed in reformation. Moreover, she was an open minded lady, which can be estimated with the fact that she argued to distribute the revenues to the charitable and educational institutions instead of giving them to church. She made this argument to Thomas Cromwell, 1st Earl of Essex. It is claimed that Thomas conspired against Anne because of his dispute with her.

Anne Boleyn born in the year 1501, and was the daughter of Thomas Boleyn, 1st Earl of Wiltshire, and his wife Lady Elizabeth Howard. She got the education in Netherlands and France, and returned to England in the year 1522 for marrying her Irish cousin, James Butler, 9th Earl of Ormond. But, the plans of her marriage with James failed, and she found the place as maid of Honor to Henry VIII’s first queen consort, Catherine of Aragon. In the year 1523, there was a secret betrothal between her and Henry Percy, son of the fifth Earl of Northumberland. But, the betrothal was broken in 1524, and she was sent back home to Hever Castle. King Henry tried to seduce her, which was one of the absorbing factors for his desire to marry her.
King annulled his marriage his first queen for marrying Anne. Roman Catholic Church declared it as illegal, but the king broke his relations with the church and declared himself the head of Church of England. There is no doubt that it seems that the relation was broken because of the selfish motive of the king. Still, it put some great impacts on the nation. He married Anne on 25th January 1933. She gave birth to Elizabeth on 7th September and could not give birth to son.

The relation of the two could not be continued for the long. She was found guilty for high treason in April 1536. Moreover, she was also accused of adultery and incest. There were no sufficient evidence found against her, but still she was beheaded on 19th May, 1536.

Despite the small time span of her existence as a queen, she became widely popular in England. Her renaissance clothing styles are copied by women in today’s scenario also. Moreover, some films have also been made on her biography. Interestingly, some researchers of occultism claim the existence of the ghost of Anne today also.

Communities of the Renaissance Age and Their Lifestyles

The renaissance age in Europe is undoubtedly an unforgettable era for the people of the western world. It was the era, when a great cultural and artistic rebirth was witnessed in the society. A stunning evolution took place in various fields, such as paintings, sculptures, renaissance costumes and so on. Besides, the lifestyles of that era became the source of inspiration of the modern times also.

An interesting thing about that era was that it was full of diverse cultures. A number of cultures were present during that period, which had their unique lifestyles. The commoners of that era used to constitute the mainstream society. Besides, the communities of serfs, royals/nobles/aristocrats and pirates were some other communities, which were making the societies.

Commoners:  They were the modest people of the society. They gained the huge interest in art and culture, which was reflected in his clothing styles also. The styles of these people were very much inspired with gothic and Germanic traditions. In the renaissance age, the massive clothes became prominent during the renaissance age. The popular women’s costumes of that era include linen chemises adorned with lace edges, lengthened breaches and heavy gowns etc. On the other hand, puffed trunk hose, padded doublet and balloon sleeves were the outfits of the men during that period. On the other hand, they had the healthy eating styles. Some of the eatables they would consume included roasts, soups, pastas, pastries and cheeses etc.

Serfs: Serfs, otherwise known as peasants, were the labor-class people of that era. They would work on the lands of the lords. Most of them would work on the lands of the lords, and they had to do hard labor in order to pay the dues. Sometimes, they also had to pay the rent in the form of money to the lords, apart from the labor. The clothing styles of these people were simple. They would wear a blouse that would be fastened with leather belt round the waist, and an overcoat or mental which was made up of thick woolen material.

Royals/Nobles/Aristocrats: These were the upper class communities of that era. They would wear the dresses beaded with the jewels. Moreover, their outfits were extravagant, many of which are fashion-statements for today’s people also. The dresses of Queen Elizabeth I were the best examples in this regard. Besides, they would eat the luxurious foods.

Pirates: Mainstream pirates were not part of lawful communities. They would wear the disorganized styles of outfits, which they would loot from the ships. The pirate clothing developed during that era is also the fashion statement of the people of today’s scenario. Their lifestyles were very much like the sailors. They would eat fresh veggies, eggs, meats and cheeses. Moreover, dice, cards, dance and singing were the leisure activities of these raiders, which they would use for fun. There was another class of pirates also, which belonged to the lawful raiders authorized by the government. Such raiders were known as privateers, and their work was to loot the treasure ships of the enemy nations. The privateers would live the lifestyles like nobles as they had the full support of the kingdom.

Contributions of Medici Family in Renaissance Movement

There is no doubt that a lot of political, economical, cultural and artistic activities took place in the renaissance age. A number of renaissance men and women gave their contributions in the flourish of different fields of art and science. Sculpture, painting, renaissance clothing and there were many other aspects, in which the society progressed. On the other hand, a huge growth had also been witnessed during that period.

Medici was unquestionably one of the big names during that period, whose contribution in the renaissance era can never be overlooked. It was a banking family, a political dynasty and later on became a royal family. Prominent contribution of this family is recognized in the economic growth of the society; however, it has some other contributions also. For instance, four popes of Roman Catholic Church were produced by this family. The popes from Medici family included Pope Leo X from 1513 to 1521, Pope Clement VII from 1523 to 1534, Pope Pius IV from 1559 to 1565, and Pope Leo XI  in 1605. So, this family had a great role in papacy also. Moreover, Catherine de' Medici (1547–1559) and Marie de' Medici (1600–1610) were two regent queens of France, who were from Medici Dynasty. The family also became hereditary Dukes of Florence in 1531 A.D.

Besides, the Medici family gained prominence in the wool trade in 14th century. It will be significant to mention that wool was used in manufacturing the medieval clothing as well as some renaissance costumes. France and Spain were two major centers of the wool trade. Besides, the family also rose to power through its social network with elite families by means of partnership, employment and the marriage of convenience. Some of the big families of that period included Salviati, Bardi, Cavalcanti and the Tornabuoni. The foundation of this family is thought to be done by Averardo de' Medici. His son Giovanni di Bicci created the Medici Bank and became the one of the richest men in Florence. Besides, he gained the good support for introduction of proportional taxing system. His son Cosimo the Elder, Pater Patriae, became the unofficial head of states of the Florentine Republic in 1434. Florence was ruled by three successive generations of Medici in a big part of 15th Century. They altogether abolished representative government, still they clearly dominated it.

Medici is supposed to be one of the contributors in the commencement of proper banking system. Today also, many of the facets of the renaissance age influence the modern age including the banking system. This is the reason why renaissance period is supposed to be the era, which showed the path to the modern times.

Era of Queen Elizabeth I: The Real Golden Age

Queen Elizabeth I was undoubtedly a great monarch in the history of England. Her popularity reached the extent that a complete era was named after her. She had a great vision to run a kingdom, plus she treated equally the people of every faith, unlike her catholic sister Mary I who would burn the protestants in stakes just because of difference in ideas. Elizabeth was a devout protestant, but many of her courtiers would keep the catholic faith.

On the other side, renaissance age was going on in the era of Queen Elizabeth when people started taking interest in art and culture. The new age paintings, sculptures and architectures, were in the limelight. Elizabeth was also a great fan of painting. Moreover, the people’s interest in the flamboyant clothing started enhancing. Queen would also wear these renaissance dresses. Her costumes would be beaded with jewels, which were the subject of allure for the people.

Besides, music and dance were also flourished during the era of this queen. Volta and galliard were two famous renaissance dances during that period. Volta dance gained more popularity, when Queen Elizabeth performed this dance with her friend Robert Dudley. This dance has been displayed in a famous film “Elizabeth” that was released in 1998. Another demonstration of the Volta dance can be seen in a 2007 film – “Elizabeth: The Golden Age”, between Sir Walter Raleigh and Bess (queen’s lady-in-wait). People wearing beautiful renaissance and medieval costumes have also been displayed perfectly in these films. Moreover, Shakespearean dramas also belonged to the era of Elizabeth, which have been played today also with great enthusiasm.

Apart from the development in art and culture, the Elizabethan era was the age of the scientific revolution, and a number of inventions and explorations were being made by several great men. This era paved the way for the modern age in a true sense. That is why, many of the scholars call this era – the early modern age.

The Elizabethan Era has set a perfect example for the later ages, and it has provided a lot of things to today’s scenario. The renaissance costumes of that era are part of the fashion trends in the recent times. Apart from the costumes, art, culture and music of that period are also the subject of inspiration today. The new-age artists take the ideas from these artistic genres and prepare the new styles. The confluence of the costumes of Elizabethan and modern era, really provides a distinct genre. www.tudordressing.com is the best example of tudor era and Queen Elizabeth's lifestyle costume and dresses.

History Livens Up in Movie ‘Elizabeth’

Queen Elizabeth I gained a huge attention in Tudor Era because of her dedication towards her nation. She never married in her life, gave her entire life to the nation. A complete era has been named after her, which we know today as Elizabethan Era. Some films and television programs have also been made on her biography time to time.

In the year 1998, a biographical film named “Elizabeth” was released. The plot of the film was written by Michael Hirst, and the film was directed by Shekhar Kapur. Cate Blanchet played the role of Queen Elizabeth and won several awards notably BAFTA and Golden Globe in the year 1998.

The film presents the story of young Elizabeth. Her elder half-sister Mary I dies because of cancerous tumor in her uterus. She leaves Elizabeth as Queen, who was jailed before for a supposed conspiracy to assassinate Mary. But, now she has been freed for her coronation, in the beautiful medieval costume. He is being surrounded by suitors such as Henri Duc d’Anjou – future Henry III of France. Besides, she was urged for marriage by William Cecil, 1st Baron of Burghley. He states that the marriage will secure her throne. But, Elizabeth is secretly involved in an affair with Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester. But, Cecil tells Elizabeth that there is no private life of a monarch.

Elizabeth has to face a lot of threats to her reign. Some of the conspirators, whom she faces included Duke of Norfolk, her catholic cousin Mary – Queen of Scots, Mary in Guise (mother of Mary, Queen of Scots) and an agent from Scotland. Moreover, she also countenances the plots from Rome by Pope Pius V (Giegud). But, all the threats are put down by her in assistance of her spymaster and adviser Francis Walsingham. Duke of Norfolk is executed for his conspiracy. Besides, Mary of Guise is killed by Francis.

On the other hand, Elizabeth expels Dudley from her life, when she comes to know that he is married. Moreover, she gives up sex as she believes that it makes the men powerful over her. She becomes increasingly tough, which is reflected in one of her speeches also. She also becomes ruthless occasionally, when she orders the execution of those who are the threats for her rule. The entire story of the film depicts her transformation from a romantic girl to a tough queen, who dominates the men around her.

A glance of pre-Elizabethan England can also be witnessed in this film. Burning of Protestants on orders of Queen Mary I and Philip has also been displayed in this movie. Apart from such horrible scene, wonderful Volta dance of Robert Dudley and Elizabeth in stunning medieval clothing can also be enjoyed. This film enlivens the Elizabethan Era perfectly in front of our eyes. The clothes were fabulous weared by elizabeth. Want to more about dressing the http://www.tudordressing.com/ is one of the top site.

Positive and Negative Sides of Tudor Dynasty

England was under the crown of House of Tudor around 500 years ago. Henry VII acquired the kingdom of England after winning the War of the Roses. This was the era of flourish of art and culture in Europe. The era, which we know as renaissance age, was going on in Europe, and people were taking more and more interest in the various genres of art. The flamboyant renaissance dresses also belonged to the same era. Besides, the science and technology were also growing during that period.

In this scenario, Tudor monarchs seem to be busy in their own affairs; however, their contribution in this development up to some extent cannot be denied. The first king Henry VII was a peaceful monarch, and he also tried to make peace with France in the year 1492. His son Henry VIII was thought to be of good nature in his early years, but later on his rapport went down. Moreover, he married six wives just for producing a male heir. Finally, he succeeded in this, and Edward was born. We find mixed traits in the nature of Henry. He took part in the protestant reformation actively and declared himself the head of Church of England. Moreover, he also played some role in development of architecture. But, declaring his daughters Mary and Elizabeth illegitimate presents the negative side of his nature. On the other hand, execution of his own wife Anne Boleyn by him despite the lack of evidences also can also not be considered as justified.

After the death of Henry, his only son Edward VI was enthroned in the small age of 9. His devotion towards Protestantism despite his small age seems strange. He tried to secure protestant faith in England. He also changed the will of his own father for this purpose, according to which his older sisters were in the line of succession after him. Edward declared his cousin Lady Jane Gray as his heir. His wish could not be fulfilled as she lost support and Mary disposed him by assembling the army within the short time span of nine days.

Mary proved to be a barbaric queen, as she started killing the innocent Protestants in order to establish the catholic faith again in England. Because of this act, she is known today as “bloody Mary”. Moreover, she married Philip II of Spain for producing the catholic heir, but could not be successful. In the early years, he kept his sister Elizabeth in Tower of London, but she had no other option than declaring her as her heir in the later stages.

Finally, Elizabeth I became the monarch, who was liberal in various aspects. The art and culture flourished a lot in her reign. She herself was an art lover and liked painting and fashion. The medieval shirts worn by her are the fashion statements in wedding parties and various other events, in today’s scenario also.

Religious Dogmatism in Tudor Monarchs: A Great Trouble for England

Renaissance age began in England with the rule of the Tudor Monarchs in England. These monarchs ruled up to 118 years, and the nations faced a number of paradigms during this period. Commoners were busy in enjoying the reawakening. Art and culture was being flourished, and new genres in various fields were coming in the limelight. Brilliant medieval costumes, which became the fashion-statements in the modern times, also came in the limelight during this period.

On the other side, Tudor rulers were the lawmakers, who were living the aristocratic lifestyles. They made some positive changes in England, but there were some pitfalls also in their kingdoms. The prominent pitfall seems the religious dogmatism of some Tudor monarchs. The sectarianism among them was clearly reflected from their activities.

Henry VII was the first Tudor monarch, but he had nothing to do with any religious dispute. This dispute began when his son and the second monarch Henry VIII broke his relations with Rome and declared himself the head of Church of England. He did so to get the right to divorce his wife. But, the problematic thing was that the opinions of his children in the family were divided. He declared his son Edward as his heir and kept his two daughters Mary and Elizabeth in the line of succession.

After his death, Edward VI became king in the small age of 9. Surprisingly, Edward was interested in the religious issues despite his small age. The publication of “Common Book of Prayer” was ordered by him, which was opposed by a large community in England. Moreover, he also didn’t hesitate in changing his father’s will for maintaining the protestant rule. He declared his cousin Lady Jane Grey as his heir. He did so because he was afraid that his catholic half-sister will reverse the reform after his death. Edward died in the small age of 15. Lady Jane Grey was the proclaimed queen after him, but she didn’t maintain his support. Mary assembled a military force and disposed Jane Grey.

Mary I was proved to be a most problematic queen of the Tudor dynasty. She wanted to reconcile with Rome, and she ordered the people to attend the catholic mass. She became the trouble for England, when she started burning the innocent Protestants. She became unpopular for this act and was dubbed as ‘Bloody Mary’. She also married Philip of Spain for producing a catholic heir. But, she failed to do so as she could never produce the child. Finally, she had to declare her half-sister Elizabeth as her heir, who was a protestant lady. Still her religious identity was mysterious as she would keep the catholic symbols despite her protestant faith. She kept the harmony between the two sects.

So, finally England got a Tudor Monarch who was above the sectarianism up to a great extent. She is thought to be the most famous monarch from Tudor dynasty.  She was interested in the cultural activities fine arts, and she was also a fashion lover. The styles of her tudor dressing are still popular in the western world.

Elizabethan and Victorian – Two Golden Eras of Europe

The Elizabethan era keeps a great significance in history. A great social change was taking place in Europe during this period. Renaissance movement was going on, and drastic change among the people’s lifestyle was being witnessed. Art and culture flourished during this period. People ceased wearing the natural-style outfits and the showy renaissancedresses came in the limelight. This was unquestionably a golden era in Europe, which paved the way for another golden era, which was the Victorian Age. Today also, these two eras in Europe provide a lot to the western world, in the field of art, culture and fashion etc.

Elizabethan Era

This was the era of Queen Elizabeth I, the most popular Tudor monarch of England. People were divided into distinct communities; however, the social and economical distinctions were becoming low because of the movement. The people with middle social order were becoming richer. On the other hand, peasant class people were entering in the middle order. Banking sector is said to be started in that era. People started wearing the showy clothing, on the contrary to the natural style dresses of the medieval age. Moreover, scientific revolution also took place. Exploration of the other world was also being done by various voyagers. Besides, a number of great historical figures were born during this period. Shakespeare, the great dramatist of all times, was also born during this period. The influence of the old classics can also be seen in Shakespeare’s literature. Besides, the famous painter and discoverer Leonardo da Vinci also gave his valuable contributions to the society, in the form of paintings and various scientific studies. Some fashion leaders like Isabella d’Este gave birth to renaissance clothing.

Victorian Era

After around two centuries of Elizabethan era, the other golden period started in Europe, which was the period of Queen Victoria.  A lot of progress was witnessed in the industry during this era. Steam engines were invented just before this period. It will not be wrong to say that Europe witnessed another scientific revolution in this era. Moreover, some new trends in the clothing styles were also witnessed. Some of these trends gained popularity in the modern age also, with the addition of several new styles. The trends based on science fiction of the Victorian Era also became popular. The science fiction novels of that era created an alternative world, which overgrew on the film industry, art, clothing and various other things.

There is no doubt that these two golden eras will provide the motivation to the people in coming centuries. Let’s see when we witness another golden era. Tudor was very memorable past in our life want to know more about tudor era's fashion and clothes click here.

A Brief Life History of Tudor Monarchs in England

Tudor era has gained a huge significance in the history of England. This was the era of flamboyance. The popular renaissance age also took place during that period, which awakened the cultural instinct of the people. The medieval clothing of that era is a perfect example of this cultural instinct. Besides, the Tudor dynasty established its kingdom, which ruled over more than a century.

Six monarchs were witnessed by the English people during that era, from Henry VII to Elizabeth I. The dynasty comprised of both positive and negative traits. Henry VII, Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary Jane Gray Mary I and Elizabeth I were the monarchs of this dynasty.
Henry VII: Henry VII was the first king from this dynasty, who was born in Pembroke. He defeated Richard III at the battle of Bosworth Field in 1485 and claimed the throne. He restored the stability in England and ruled for 24 years. The policy of Henry VII was to maintain peace and economic prosperity. He married Elizabeth of York who was the niece of Richard III.

Henry VIII: Henry VIII was the son of Henry VII, who was declared king after the death of his father in 1509. In the early years, Henry was known for his friendliness. He was a companion more than a king. He was generous in his affection and gifts. But, in the later years people started describing the king for his fatigue and cruelty. Henry broke his alliance with Rome and declared himself as the head of Church of England. He made an alliance with Protestant German states by marrying the daughter of a Protestant German Duke. He married six girls in distinct periods. Mary I, Elizabeth I and Edward VI were his three children of Henry VIII, who were born through different wives. Edward VI was the youngest, but was declared as his first heir, because he was the only male among them. Mary I and Elizabeth I were given place after him in the line of succession.

Edward VI: Henry VIII died in 1547, when Edward was only 9-years old. He was declared king in this small age. Surprisingly, Edward would take an interest in religious matters. He was a believer of Protestantism, and “Book of Common Prayer” was published during his reign. But, he found his succession problematic. His elder sister Mary I was a devout catholic and Edward was afraid that she would reverse the protestant reforms made by him and his father. So, he removed Mary and Elizabeth from the line of succession. Elizabeth was a protestant, but it was necessary to remove both of them to expel one as per the law. He changed his father’s will and gave the succession to his cousin sister Lady Jane Gray. Edward died in the small age of 15, in the year in 1553.
Lady Jane Gray: Lady Jane Gray was a proclaimed queen after Edward, but her support was lost in 9 days.

Mary I: Mary I was the next monarch from the Tudor dynasty, but she proved to be a troubled queen. She used all means to restore the catholic faith, and burnt many innocent Protestants in stake. Because of this, she is dubbed as ‘Bloody Mary’. She married Philip of Spain to produce a catholic heir, but could not be successful. Finally, she had to declare her sister Elizabeth as her successor. Mary died in 1558, in the age of 42.

Elizabeth I: Elizabeth I was the most famous monarchs of Tudor dynasty. She never let anyone challenge her authority as a monarch. She also faced the pressures to marry, which she never accepted. She was also fond of fashion. During her era, flamboyant renaissance shirt were gaining popularity. Her clothes beaded with ornaments had the special allure. She died in 1558, which was the end of Tudor era.

Renaissance Festival: Live Demonstration of the Past

The age of renaissance can never be forgotten by the Europeans. Besides, a lot of European decedents in America and Australia also remember that era as a golden period. During this era, a number of changes took place in the European society. This was the time of a popular art and culture movement in Europe. This movement drastically changed the lifestyles of the people, and a new life was witnessed in the society. A lot of development was witnessed in the people’s intellectual interests. On the other hand, some new progresses were made in costumes of people. Another aspect of this era was that some other communities also added their spice to it. The community of pirates had also its unique lifestyle, which also impresses the people of today.

In remembrance of that golden era, a lot of renaissance festivals are celebrated, in various cities in the western world. Renaissance-Festivals.com lists all the major festivals happening around US. These festivals undoubtedly take you back to that era, and you can practically enjoy the glimpse of your past. These festivals take place on weekends, and every weekend comprises of some special theme. Plenty of reenactment activities take place, which are the prominent attractions, and show you the live demonstration of history. In some of the festivals, pirate weekends are also celebrated to give you the presentation of the pirate lifestyles. Various games for children enhance the entertainment of the people. Moreover, various other performances based on medieval and contemporary themes can also be enjoyed in these festivals. On the other hand, several medieval cuisines can also be tasted. In addition, a number of stalls having the household goods and medieval clothing & accessories are also available.

It will not be wrong to say, that the people wandering there in the renaissance and pirate costumes are other major attractions of these festivals. It also helps you in getting the idea about the new fashions in renaissance clothing. Many of the people also keep medieval accessories with them, such as compass, weapons, helmets and many others.

The popularity of these festivals is increasing with the passage of time. It will be significant to mention that the pirate festivals are the similar festivals to renaissance fairs, which are also celebrated in various cities. These festivals are prominently focused on the pirate lifestyles. These festivals not only take you back to history, but also give you a brilliant entertainment, which rejuvenates you from your hectic lifestyle. This festival will definitely gain more popularity in the coming time.

You can know more about these festivals from our website. We also offer the renaissance faire clothing for both men and women.

Medieval History of Men and Women’s Costumes

The time period characterized by fall of Roman Empire and the beginning of renaissance is popularly known as medieval period or middle age. This period saw revival around fifth century and lasted till fifteenth century. It was the period when men’s fashion change rapidly in comparison women’s. Clothing styles of men and women very different from each others. In social setup too their medieval costume differed widely. Lower class people were living in miserable condition; they were forced to wear clothing of last century until disrepair state where they had to buy a new set. New Introduced sumptuary laws divided the society largely on the base color and material of fabric.

Women’s medieval costume

The evidence of women’s clothing, what they actually wore comes from mid-fourteenth century. Female dresses were experiencing a great degree of change. Dresses became tighter with lower necklines and designed to outline the feminine posture. Tight lacing to provide fitting shape, for long waist appearance griddles were used and corset became the one of the significant part of their clothing. Open bodice with attached floor length skirt more popularly called surcoat was the elegant part of their dressing. In actual, in the beginning of fifteenth century gowns replaced all the female wears except surcoat.

Hose, kirtle, smock, gown, surcoat, girdle, bonnet and hood were basic clothing of women. However material and color used in making of these garments were distinct for women of each social status. Upper class women wore garments of expensive fabrics like silk, velvet, damask and taffeta in rich and vibrant colors while lower class women wore apparels of linen, shipskin, wool and cotton. Infact in later period poor people were restricted from using cotton because it was heavily taxed while imported (from India) and kept royals only. Skirt was one of the significant features of medieval dresses of women and petticoat made the way for these fashionable garments which were available in myriad designs and patters.

Men’s Medieval Costumes

Regardless of social standing in society medieval men’s garment were consist of tunic, trousers, cloak and leggings. Single brooch was used to fasten the cloak. Tying, lacing and clasping technique were applied as another method of fastening. ‘Have nots’ wore cloak made from wool. Tunics had length between hip and knee and were tied by belt or girdle. Trousers were worn under short tunic or cloak. With narrow trousers Garters or leggings worn as complementary pairs, two pairs of leggings were worn for protection of legs. Lower class people made use of old clothes to make them while wealthier people’s leggings were custom made.

Social status was supreme during medieval period and this notion made clearer by clothing. Generally scarlet colors like red and purple were meant for nobles especially for kings and princes. Among wealthier people nobles were the trend setter. Their clothing made of expensive fabrics was embellished with elaborate embroideries, laces, ruffles and embedded gems.

Negligence by rulers, miserable living condition and unemployment forced some English people towards the path of piracy. Popularly known as sea robbers, their pirate clothing were basically the looted costumes from hijacked ships of merchants and rulers.

Although clothing were one of the major way of dividing people in social hierarchy but so much of severance resulted in invention of new techniques and clothing designing methods which is still making modern human beings gaga for medieval costumes.

Article Published By: Tudordressing.com

new baby gift come to our site, fabulous gifts for the new arrival or an inspired maternity gift

Renaissance Wedding Dresses takes in Medieval Style

Gearing up for a medieval theme wedding, a lot of preparation is needed for themed weddings. From costumes of bride and groom to guests, from food to background and from music to etiquettes of people all should be able to reflect the charm and charisma of renaissance magical era. Soon to be bride expects her renaissance dress for wedding to be magnificent attire, appealing, giving the renaissance vibes and make her look outstanding. However in order to get a perfect renaissance style gown you need to put effort otherwise you will end up building castles in the air.

Wedding gowns can be found in shops who deal in bridal wears however it can be happened that such shops of your area don’t carry themed dresses. There is another option of searching for these renaissance costumes. Search for designers who offer custom designing. Custom designed renaissance gowns will have quality fabric with exact measurement, stunning and striking appearance but there is one problem, custom made dresses cost a lot. So, the best available option is to haunt them online. Internet can prove a very helpful medium for finding awesome period dresses. You will be able to find wedding dresses of famous 3Ps. - princess, peasant and pirate online.

Renaissance costumes for wedding available online are on par with the dresses of offline shops in terms of quality and are reasonably priced. You will get the same costume at much lower price. If website from where you are opting to buy dress comes with schemes like discounts and free shipping then it will be icing on the cake, make purchase amount very cost effective. To reach the classism of medieval style your wedding dress must be slim fitted, corset or griddle to support upper part of body and laced in front. Renaissance wedding gowns have embroidery, stitched with threads of gold or silver.

Just look at the few dresses available on internet; I’ll bet they can give a stiff competition to renaissance clothing of any established offline shops.

The Majestic Beauty Gown: This gown is the beautiful combination of nobel surcoat and princess of pearl dress. Surcoat is made from velvet fabric has wide neckline and large armholes with white metallic sequenced lace. Dress part is made from satin material with blue and gold trims. For buttons white pearl are used.

Hildegard Princess Dress: This dress is again made from velvet fabric. The brocade fabric on side panels and puffy upper sleeves make it appear opulent. Drawstring and loops on back are provided for comfort fit. This alluring dress is perfect for your dream wedding.

Lady of Lead Gowns: This elegant piece of cloth is made from soft velvet fabric, has long funnel type sleeves with a cut underneath of which another sleeves of narrow endings are stitched. In similar fashion the skirt part of gown has slit and golden color brocade lace peeped out of it.

Above mentioned renaissance dresses and renaissance costumes for themed wedding are my favorite, you will find a lot more on internet once you start browsing.

Sensation of Renaissance Festivals

Village fairs and festivals were important occasions in the life of the common people in Europe, when they could socialize at these public venues and also market their handicrafts and other home-made products. This was an occasion for them to dress up in gaiety in the best of their clothes, to add to the festive atmosphere.
Today’s sub-culture borrows its fashion from the styles of Renaissance costumes. The flowing lines of long full length gowns, corset-shaped jackets with drawstrings, pirate-style shirts, skirts with trimmings, frills and laces with loose tops lined with brocades and frills are favorite themes of costumes inspired by the Mediaeval clothing styles. These styles are mixed with punk styles and contemporary looks to create a new style.
This sub-culture also borrows the theme of fairs from the mediaeval period. However, unlike the fairs of the period, the contemporary sub-cultural fairs are occasions to show off the Sub-cultural costumes. People dress up in their costumes, dye their hair black, shade their nails and lips in dark shades and also a=carry accessories from the mediaeval clothing such as swords gilded and studded with semi-precious stones.
In these fairs, people who follow his sub-culture also wear the specific costumes related to the famous characters from the mediaeval history and English literature. Invitations are sent out using archaic English, mentioning the names of fictional characters from literature and special gala evens to recreate the mood of Renaissance festival. This event is very popular all over the United States and especially the state of Florida is famous for these kinds of festivals.
A festival thus, is a sub-cultural expression of the people’s desire to break free of formatted lives created by the industrialized societies. At the same time, it is an occasion for the garment industry to promote the sub-cultural costumes.